The Healing Of Scars
by AnnieBooker
Summary: Epilogue for The Sound Of One Cricket Chirping by Carlyn found at The Alphagate archive with Carlyn's permission THIS STORY IS SLASH


Epilogue for The Sound Of One Cricket Chirping by Carlyn

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Daniel eased back in his chair and looked out over the water. Jack was right; this was something close to heaven. No weapon fire, no screams of people dying, no agonized groans of the injured. Just the water lapping gently against the dock beneath his feet, a bird call or two, the muffled sounds of Jack, inside the cabin, making dinner.

The wound in his chest no longer caused him any pain, just a vague itching sensation that went deeper than the scar did, too deep for him to scratch, though he rubbed at it absently now.

"Don't scratch," Jack warned, waylaying his hand and keeping it clasped in his own as he sat down in the chair next to Daniel.

"It itches."

"Means it's healing," Jack said, his callused thumb rubbing a gentle caress over the back of Daniel's wrist.

Daniel turned his hand within Jack's, inviting more of the sensation and Jack complied, small circles migrating out and up to rub enticingly along Daniel's forearm up to his elbow then back again.

Daniel gasped with the erotic pleasure of it and Jack leaned in, capturing his mouth in a kiss, swallowing the exhaled breath.

"Want dinner?" Jack asked, pulling away.

Daniel nodded mutely. He'd rather have stayed here, on the dock, with Jack touching him but his stomach was grumbling and he had meds to take. He sighed.

"What?" Jack asked as he gave him a hand up out of the deck chair.

"I'd rather not give in to the physical needs of my body right now," Daniel replied with a smile. "I'd like to just stay here, feeling you touching me like that forever."

"I'll touch you all you want after dinner," Jack said, smiling a crooked lascivious smile that went straight to Daniel's groin.

"I'll keep you to that."

They ate in companionable silence, Daniel's thoughts turning back inexorably to what Jack had told him in the infirmary – that he wanted to quit. There'd been times since they'd become lovers that Daniel almost regretted talking him out of it. He could get used to this, he thought, looking around the rustic cabin. He and Jack together in this place, far away from the sounds and sights of battle. He sighed and Jack looked over at him quizzically as he stood up to collect their plates.

"Need a pain pill?"

Daniel shook his head. "I'm fine."

"Okay. You still need to take the antibiotics though."

Daniel acquiesced easily enough. He was too glad to be out of the infirmary to risk an infection and a trip back there.

"Penny for your thoughts," Jack asked as he took the water glass from Daniel's unresisting hand.

"Just thinking about what you said when I was in the infirmary."

"Sorry you talked me out of it?"

"No… Well, in a way. But I meant what I said back then too."

Jack pressed a kiss to his mouth as Daniel handed his plate over. "Go relax. The dishes can wait."

Jack put the dishes in the sink then walked across and sat on the couch next to Daniel. Turning, he toed off his shoes then pulled both feet up so he was sitting with his knees bent. "C'mere," he said softly and Daniel edged back till he was sitting between Jack's legs, tilting his head back to rest against Jack's shoulder.

"You sure this isn't causing you any pain?" Jack asked, his fingers tracing lightly over the scar.

"It just feels kinda weird, numb but tingly," Daniel said.

"Yeah, I know that feeling," Jack said, his fingers still moving hypnotically over Daniel's skin.

"Just another scar," Daniel mused quietly. "Not the first, probably won't be the last. It's not the physical ones that last the longest or hurt the most."

"No," Jack agreed. "The others you carry with you forever."

"They're reminders though. Even the bad ones. If losing someone scars you so deeply that you feel as if it will never fade, it means you loved that deeply too." He smiled as Jack kissed the top of his head. "Sorry. I'm getting maudlin in my old age."

Jack's fingers meandered over his nipples and rubbed enticingly and Daniel arched his head back, inviting a kiss.

"Don't feel old to me," Jack murmured, moving from behind Daniel and down onto the floor. He reached up a hand and tugged Daniel's arm, pulling him down to land on top of him. "Did I hurt you?" he asked worriedly as Daniel made a muffled "oof" sound as he landed.

"Worrywart," Daniel replied, rolling off to lie next to him. "I'm fine. Why are we on the floor?"

"Thought I'd try chasing that maudlin stuff away," Jack replied, unbuttoning his shirt and then Daniel's and pulling them both off, one after the other. He unzipped Daniel's jeans and yanked them off, Daniel lifting his legs willingly to help with the process then stood and removed his own as well.

"Great minds," Daniel whispered.

"Huh?" Jack lay down next to him again, one leg over Daniel's, his cock, already half-hard, pressing against Daniel's thigh.

"The commando thing," Daniel replied. He huffed an amused snort as Jack didn't reply, just latched onto his nipple and began laving it with his tongue. "No underwear," he elaborated even as his hands smoothed through Jack's hair, pulling him closer.

"Well, I don't know about you but I've been thinking about this all day," Jack said, pulling away a little. "Figured why waste time on underwear that we're just going to take off anyway."

"Good thinking," Daniel said, pulling him back in for a hard, passionate kiss.

Jack licked his way down Daniel's throat, mouthed his nipples again briefly then trailed down over his belly to his cock, hard now in anticipation of Jack's touch.

Daniel groaned as Jack took him into his mouth and then he stopped thinking at all.

~oOo~

Soft dark shadows suffused the interior of the cabin when Daniel opened his eyes. He and Jack had both fallen asleep and Jack's body was a warm and welcome weight against his side.

A gentle breeze wafted through the open windows, washing cool air across his skin. Daniel shivered a little.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked, sounding still half asleep.

Daniel snuggled closer into his warmth. "Listen," he said, "can you hear it?"

"Crickets?"

"Just one," Daniel said, kissing Jack with all the love he felt. "Do you remember? When I was in the infirmary…"

"Yeah." Jack's fingers traced idly across the scar again and Daniel felt as if the love in that touch went clear through to his heart.

"I love you, Jack," he said.

End


End file.
